Everyone knows of and applauds efforts to increase the number of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics — or STEM — fields. But these aren’t the only sectors where roles traditionally are assigned to one gender, and gender isn’t always the barrier in play.
Several organizations recognize that and offer college scholarships to women — and men — who break barriers in the workplace and take on nontraditional roles.
[Find a STEM scholarship for each type of college student.]
Consider that according to the Federal Aviation Administration Aeronautical Center’s 2015 data, only a little more than 6.5 percent of pilots are women and less than 4 percent of flight engineers are women. Women in Aviation International is trying to change that.
The nonprofit is dedicated to helping women advance in aviation and annually awards multiple scholarships of varying amounts that can be used for colleges, flight schools or aviation education. Over the last two decades, it has presented more than $10 million in scholarships.
Earlier this year, the organization awarded 120 scholarships totaling more than $640,000. The 2018 application cycle opens in July with a Nov. 13 deadline.
Applicants, who must be members of the organization by Nov. 1, may apply for no more than two scholarships and can receive only one. Application requirements include a 500-word essay, letters of recommendation and transcripts. Scholarships are open to both men and women, unless otherwise specified.
Another field where women are underrepresented is construction. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, only about 8.9 percent of individuals earning a living in construction are women.
The National Association of Women in Construction awards more than $25,000 annually through the NAWIC Founders’ Scholarship Foundation to help change that. Scholarships range in value between $500 and $2,500 and are open to female and male applicants.
[Where to net scholarships for women at all levels of higher education.]
The NAWIC Undergraduate Scholarship is limited to current full-time college students at U.S. schools who have at least one semester left before they earn a bachelor’s or associate degree in a construction-related field. They must also have a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA. The next application cycle will open this fall.
The organization also awards construction trades scholarships to individuals enrolled in construction-related training programs at community colleges, technical schools and equivalent institutions or that are approved by the Bureau of Apprenticeship Training .
Applications will open this fall and are due by Feb. 28, 2018. Some NAWIC local chapters also award scholarships.
The Association for Women in Architecture Foundation offers scholarships to women earning undergraduate degrees in landscape architecture, interior design, architecture, urban or land planning, or environmental design. Applicants must either be California residents or enrolled in a California university. They must also have completed at least 18 units in their major when they apply. Each application cycle opens at the beginning of the year with a mid-April deadline.
Although breaking barriers in some fields are often associated with women, men are also taking on nontraditional roles in other sectors. Nursing, for example, continues to be viewed as a profession predominantly for women.
But Nursing.org wants to help evolve that narrative and offers the Breaking Barriers: Scholarships for Men in Nursing, in addition to other nursing scholarships.. Male applicants for this $500 award must be at least 18 years old, have a minimum 3.5 gpa and be enrolled in an accredited nursing program.
Applications, which must include a 500-1,000-word essay, must be submitted by Aug. 1, and winners will be announced in early September.
[Discover scholarships for nontraditional students.]
According ot the National Education Association, less than 25 percent of teachers at U.S. public schools in 2014 were men, and the number of male teachers in elementary schools is even lower.
Phi Delta Kappa International offers a number of scholarships for educators, including the Kersey/Oglesby Scholarship where preference is given to male students pursuing an elementary education major in the Southeast or Midwest. The 2017 application deadline has passed, but check the website for updates on future application cycles.
Other scholarships support individuals who are breaking barriers that have nothing to do with gender. Generation Google Scholarships, for instance, help underrepresented students pursue computer science degrees in the U.S. or Canada. Applicants must be African-American; Hispanic; American Indian; or Filipino, Native Hawaiian, Pacific Islander and must be currently enrolled as an undergrad or graduate student or planning to enroll or already accepted as a full-time student at a university.
Applicants must also demonstrate leadership and a passion for computer science and technology as well as show a strong academic achievements. The scholarships are $10,000 for students attending U.S. colleges and 5,000 Canadian dollars for those attending Canadian colleges.
The application requires transcripts, a letter of reference from a STEM instructor and answers to four essay questions. Check the site in January 2018 for the next application cycle.
Scholarships to study in these fields don’t remove every hurdle students will face, but they certainly give students a good start to pursue their careers with less student loan debt.
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Scholarships Support Students Breaking Barriers originally appeared on usnews.com
